Valley Ponds

The ACT Government is developing The Valley Ponds, Gungahlin. Construction of the three interconnected wetlands began in February 2012 and is nearing completion.

View of pond 2 from the native grassland and the outdoor classroom (part completed).

Photo: Edwina Robinson

The main role of the wetland is to improve the quality of stormwater before it enters Ginninderra Creek. The wetlands also slow down stormwater released from the Gungahlin Town Centre, increase urban biodiversity and provide stormwater for irrigation of the enclosed oval.

The wetlands also feature walking paths, an outdoor classroom and boardwalk, rock jetties and interpretive signage.

Greening Australia were engaged to remove soil samples from key areas to be disturbed by construction. Plant material grown from these samples was re-established on site.

As part of good environmental practice Greening Australia were engaged to collect soil and plant samples from the wetland and grow these on at their Aranda nursery. Photo: Greening Australia

The existing on site pond was an excellent source of wetland plants. Edwina Robinson, Urban Waterways Coordinator collected Myriophyllum and Potamogeton and transplanted them at the Banksia Street, O'Connor wetland. Photo: Richard Bourne

Wildlife Corridor Restoration

Students from Burgmann Anglican School helped plant hundreds of habitat plants, installed tree guards and hand bucketed water to each plant. Photo: Edwina Robinson

In 2012 the ACT Government, Ginninderra Catchment Group, conservation groups and local community began rehabilitating a patch of Gungahlin land. Located between Gundaroo Drive and the newly constructed wetlands the windbreak which doubles as a wildlife corridor was overrun with Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana). With the help of volunteers, this weedy wattle was removed from the native grassland and partly removed from the wildlife corridor. Hundreds of bird attracting native shrubs and grasses have been planted.

For the past three years, students from Gungahlin College have taken part in the Frogwatch Census at The Valley Ponds. Frogs are a great indicator of how healthy a waterway is. ABC reporters compiled this story of the the census: